Well, here’s part two of my insomnia rant! In the first part I went over the most recognized insomnia, in which someone simply has trouble falling asleep. This one is about the second type as I see it, which basically involves having trouble shutting down for the night. Well, here it goes!
This type of insomnia has been almost as much of a bother as the previous type. From the time when I was a little kid playing with my stuffed animals under the covers instead of laying down like a good boy, all the way to the present where I’ve been know to hang on the computer till 4 in the morning. It’s pretty much always been a problem.
Now don’t get me wrong. I in no way believe I’m unique in this sort of thing. I bet half the people reading this have the exact same problem! Still, it’s something that’s gotten me in a lot of trouble over the years, and I feel like talking about it. So there. 
I know what my Mom will say if she reads this. She’ll say the problem is my “addiction” to the Internet. While that may be part of it (who isn’t addicted to the Internet these days?), I know that it’s more than that. Even if I shut the computer down at a decent hour, I’ll just find something else to keep occupied. I’ve stayed up till four or five in the morning reading a book or watching TV, which is usually much later than I ever spend on the computer.
I actually think I know what the problem is. It’s the freedom. Late at night, everybody else in the house is fast asleep, meaning I can watch/read/talk to whom I want without worry of interruptions. It’s a feeling of freedom I don’t get during the day, and it’s really hard to give that feeling up and go to bed, where all that awaits me is hours of staring at the ceiling, confusing dreams I won’t remember, and the next day. It’s not easy. It’s like being a kid let loose in the worlds biggest, bestest playground and being told that if you sit down once to rest your feet, you’ll be taken home and never allowed back (okay, maybe not the best analogy, but it’s the best I can come up with).
So instead of going to sleep, I’ll stay up roleplaying, watching TV, reading a book, or chatting with friends. I don’t really regret it though (well, maybe the watching TV when nothing good is actually on). I have fun, and I really do enjoy my nights. Just because I’ll regret staying up so late the following morning doesn’t mean I’ll regret the good time I had!
Still, I am trying to keep these nights to a minimum. I make it a habit these days to log off and go to bed at midnight, latest. Oh, I still break the rules on occasion. Last night I stayed up till three watching Sailor Moon and (ironically) trying to convince a friend that she needed to go to bed! I only plan on doing things like that every once in a while though. I don’t really like sleeping in till the afternoon, and the best way to make sure that doesn’t happen is to get to bed at a decent hour. Still, every once in a while doesn’t hurt, right? It’s worth it in my book to take a night every now and then to stay up and hang with a friend for a few extra hours, or to finish a really good book. Moderation is the key, and once I got that down, I don’t think people will mind too much of a sleep in till 1 in the afternoon every once in a while!
